With the city still in the grip of protests in the wake of the gangrape of a 23-year-old woman, churches all over Delhi chose to dedicate some time to pray for the victim on Christmas.

At Sacred Heart Cathedral at Gol Dak Khana and at St James' Church at Kashmere Gate, thousands
of devotees prayed for the girl's recovery.

Father Stanley of the Sacred Heart Cathedral said a part of his sermon was about the dignity of a human being and how instances of rape go against that dignity.

"We continue to pray for the victim. The Bible says do to others what you would have them do to you. It preaches love and respect for each other. The incident is sad as it attacks the very tenets on which humanity is built," he said.

Father Dominic, Delhi Archdiocese, said for many days now, churches have been offering prayers for the victim.

"Christmas is not just a time for celebrations but is also about universal brotherhood. We have been praying for her and for the society as a whole," he said.

Smaller groups of people were also found praying for the girl on Tuesday.

Despite many Metro stations remaining shut, church officials said the number of people coming for prayers did not decrease. At Sacred Heart Cathedral, an estimated 70,000 people turned up for prayers.